Taltarni Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Drink now or cellar for 10 – 20 years.

Sourced from the original Cabernet Sauvignon block planted on the Taltarni estate in the late 1960s, this wine exemplifies the depth and longevity of old-vine Pyrenees Cabernet. The 2021 vintage delivered ideal growing conditions—warm days, cool nights, and a long, even season—producing fruit with vivid flavour concentration and structural balance.

Hand-harvested in the cool of morning, the fruit was gently crushed into a 3-tonne open-top fermenter with 15% whole bunch retained. Fermentation was inoculated and managed using a traditional heading-down board to facilitate gentle tannin extraction and preserve varietal clarity. An 8-day ferment at moderate temperatures encouraged precision and finesse in the resulting wine, highlighting the interplay of fine tannin, acidity, and fruit purity.

Malolactic fermentation was initiated during the final stages of primary ferment and completed in a mix of new and seasoned French oak barriques. The result is a medium to full-bodied Cabernet with classic cassis, black olive, and dried herb aromatics, supported by graphite-like tannins and subtle oak spice. A poised, cellar-worthy expression of site and vintage.

Pair with roast lamb and mint jelly.

Alcohol: 14%

pH: 3.63

Acidity (TA): 6.1 g/L

Pyrenees, Victoria.

96 Points & Gold Medal – 2024 Halliday Wine Companion

“This impressive medium wine blooms beautifully with air, with the flavour deepening and expanding the longer the wine is open. It has old-vine intensity and classical proportions, with pure cassis and just-ripe mulberry flavours. A robust cradle of tannin supports the elegant, sweet-natured palate, and although acidity underpins the fruit, it does not dominate the wine in any way. Excellent cellaring potential.” – Toni Paterson